JLR's hi-tech gadgets to protect cyclists on Midands roads

Jaguar Land Rover is developing in-car technology to protect cyclists.

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LUXURY carmaker Jaguar Land Rover is aiming to prevent death on the roads – with hi-tech warnings to protect cyclists and motorbike drivers from oncoming cars.

The Midlands manufacturer has developed new ‘Bike Sense’ technology, which will ‘tap’ the car driver on the shoulder and ring a bicycle bell to help prevent accidents involving bicycles and motorbikes.

With nearly 19,000 cyclists killed or injured on UK roads every year, Jaguar Land Rover researchers are identifying the most effective warning colours and sounds that will trigger an instinctive response from the driver to prevent accidents.

Door handles will ‘buzz’ the driver’s hand to prevent doors being opened into the path of bikes and the accelerator pedal will vibrate if the car’s movement is in danger of causing an accident.

‘Bike Sense’ is a concept technology currently being developed at Jaguar Land Rover’s Advanced Research Centre at Whitley, near Coventry.

Earlier this month, it emerged the company was working with hi-tech specialists to test a new driver monitor system which tracks motorists’ eyes for signs of drowsiness and distraction.

A JLR spokesman said: “To help the driver understand where the bike is in relation to their car, the audio system will make it sound as if a bicycle bell or motorbike horn is coming through the speaker nearest the bike, so the driver immediately understands the direction the cyclist is coming from.

“If a bicycle or motorbike is coming up the road behind the car, Bike Sense will detect if it is overtaking or coming past the vehicle on the inside, and the top of the car seat will extend to ‘tap’ the driver on the left or right shoulder.

“As the cyclist gets closer to the car, a matrix of LED lights on the window sills, dashboard and windscreen pillars will glow amber and then red as the bike approaches.”

Wolfgang Epple, director of research and technology, Jaguar Land Rover, said: “Bike Sense takes us beyond the current technologies of hazard indicators and icons in wing mirrors, to optimising the location of light, sound and touch to enhance this intuition.

“This creates warnings that allow a faster cognitive reaction as they engage the brain’s instinctive responses,” he added.